The present invention relates to the control of the opening and closure of a container closed by a lid.
In particular, although not exclusively, it can be applied to electric kettles to liquid heating appliances, having a container provided with a container grasping handle, a spout and an upper tilling opening that can be closed by a hinged lid.
Other applications can be contemplated in the field of small appliances, in particular a hinged lid on a coffee-pot filter-supporting tank, which filter-supporting tank is adapted for receiving ground coffee.
In this field, there are different types of container closure means using a lid whose opening and closure are performed by means of a push button.
A known exemplary apparatus comprises a push-button mounted on the handle cover, with a locking mechanism mounted adjacent the spout. In order to unlock and open the lid, the locking mechanism must become disengaged from the lid, so that the number of involved parts is large. Manufacturing such a mechanism is therefore complex and costly.
However, this mechanism can be simplified by mounting the lid locking mechanism at its hinge axis portion. Nevertheless, this solution leads to a lower safety level than the previous solution, inasmuch as an accidental tipping of the container can cause the lid to open in the spout area, since it is locked near the lid hinge axis.
There is also known a very simple solution wherein the lid opening and closure actuating push-button is provided on the handle, with the lid locking carried out at the lid hinge axis. This solution does not, however, allow a complete opening of the lid, so that, in particular, cleaning the container becomes difficult.
Another solution consists in mounting a spring-loaded push-button within the lid. This solution implies that the respective restoring forces of the push-button springs and the lid opening spring be calibrated so that the restoring force of the lid be greater than the one acting upon the push-button. Moreover, on closure, if the user leaves a finger on the button, the lid does not lock in its closed position,
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate these drawbacks. In order to do so, the present invention provides a lid for closing a container, which is hinged thereto, and comprises resilient means for restoring the lid in an open position and means for maintaining the lid in a closed position on the container.
According to this invention, the lid comprises a bistable locking mechanism and a button for actuating said locking mechanism, said bistable locking mechanism comprising a locking member able to be placed at well defined and stable locked and unlocked positions, said locking member cooperating in said locked position with retainer means provided on the container for maintaining said lid in its closed position, and being released from said looking member in said unlock position for letting said lid to be freely driven to its open position by said restoring means.
With these provisions, the opening and closure of the lid are carried out by a single pulse applied to the button. Also, the lid locking efficiency does not depend on the relative values of the restoring forces acting upon the lid and button, respectively. In addition, blocking of the lid in its closed position is ensured even if the user leaves a finger on the button, since the locking member remains blocked at its looked position.
Advantageously, the button extends over a major portion of the upper surface of the lid. Thus, it is more easily reached and actuated by the user.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the lid comprises a mechanism for damping and slowing down the opening of the lid for the lid to open slowly and smoothly.